Two-Thirds of Americans Back Afghanistan Surge

The 17,000 additional troops President Obama plans to send to Afghanistan will ship out with the support of two-thirds of Americans, a contrast to the public’s poor reception of George W. Bush’s Iraq surge, the Washington Post reports. Polls also show Obama’s troop increase has widespread backing: Four in 10 of those who say the war is not worth the cost nevertheless support the troop increase.

Americans are evenly divided on whether the war in Afghanistan has been worth the cost, and they divide 50% to 41% on whether victory there is essential to America’s success against terrorism. The number of people who see an Iraq victory as crucial is also riding high at 44%, though 60% say the costs have outweighed the benefits.
(More Iraq stories.)